


Takeoff

by Enchantable



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Time Flying, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:50:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: “So how do you two know each other?” Jamie asks.“We grew up together,” Alex says. Jamie’s eyes narrow and he clocks Michael’s hand. Michael blows a breath out and holds it up, showing the shiny pink scars Kyle carefully put on him, “ignore him,” he says to Michael, “he’s a gossip.”“Uh, maybe but there’s only one guy you ever talked about,” Jamie points out.





	Takeoff

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: Anything where Michael and Alex realize that their relationship will work better if they’re not in Roswell.

It’s a gallows walk.

Michael shuffles forward in the line, fighting to not be terrified as they approach the guards. He feels like he’s got a sign over his head saying that he should be inspected. They are going to take one look at him and know. He’s as good as dead. When he gets to the guard he gives up trying to act casual and just tries to go for getting through undetected and without causing a scene.

“Morning sir,” the guard says, flipping through his passport before marking the ticket, “have a good flight.”

“Thanks,” he says and steps into the line.

He joins the rest of the passengers, doing his best not to fidget and instead removing the things that the sign has told him to. Alex joins him in the line and smiles before signaling a TSA officer.

“I have a prosthesis,” he explains.

He makes it through security easily, he even avoids the pitfall of not emptying his pockets which catches the other travelers behind him. He gets his stuff and waits as Alex talks to the person inspecting his leg. After he and the guy shake hands, Alex shoulders his backpack and grabs the rest of his things, coming over to where he’s standing.

“Come on, let’s get to the gate.”

“We’ve got a couple hours,” Michael points out.

Alex smiles and dips his head.

“We can walk around,” he says, “but let’s just make sure our gate is still the one listed.”

The last time Michael was in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport he was coming to Roswell and he was eleven. Everything was big and bright and completely disorienting. So really nothing’s changed all that much. Except now instead of a woman from the system who pushed him along like he was going to make her late for everything, he’s got Alex who walks next to him and lets him take it all in. Whenever Michael looks over, Alex is looking at him with a soft look or he’s looking at something on his own.  He slowly finds himself starting to relax and put aside his misgivings on this whole thing. Michael hasn’t been on an airplane since he was a kid. He’s never actually been out of the country.

“Alex!”

They both turn as one of the Captains comes over and clasps Alex in a hug. Alex grins at him.

“Michael this is James Bradley, we served together.”

“Call me Jamie,” he says, shaking his hand, “good to meet you,” he looks between them, “you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Michael asks.

“The tour, come on,” Alex says.

Jamie flashes his lanyard and brings them down the walkway to the plane. Michael looks over at him and Alex smiles. Michael’s shoved down his nervousness this entire time but Alex doesn’t want him to spend the next hours wondering if the plane is going to blow. Michael is brilliant, he’s always known that, but he’s brilliant and he’s been betrayed by most authority figures. Telling him something is the way it is, well, it’s a recipe for disaster. Thankfully Alex has friends who have gone on to have careers in the aviation industry.

“Okay here we go,” Jamie says and brings them onto the plane. Michael is quiet and thoughtful as Jamie takes them around and then into the cockpit, “so this is where the magic happens,” he says, “not the bathrooms. Please don’t do that.”

“What kind of engines does the plane have?” Michael asks.

“We’ve got twin 9Xs,” Jamie says. Michael looks interested, “an engine man,” Jamie clasps a hand over his heart, “we’re one of the first whose got them.”

“Do you see a difference from the 90s?” He asks.

“Loss of thrust, but it hasn’t been an issue. Fuel efficiency is much better though,” he says, “the airline likes that.”

Alex smiles and takes in the feeling of watching Michael and Jamie talk about the engines. He’s used to this kind of mechanical show off, where it’s as much a quiz as it is a conversation. He can pinpoint when the pass each other’s evaluation because the conversation turns incredibly technical. Alex has always been more about the software than the hardware when it comes to this kind of thing, but he can keep his own with what’s being thrown back and forth while he looks at the various screens and sees if he can spot the infamous Black Box.

“So how do you two know each other?” Jamie asks.

“We grew up together,” Alex says. Jamie’s eyes narrow and he clocks Michael’s hand. Michael blows a breath out and holds it up, showing the shiny pink scars Kyle carefully put on him, “ignore him,” he says to Michael, “he’s a gossip.”

“Uh, maybe but there’s only one guy you ever talked about,” Jamie points out.

“Yeah that’s me,” Michael says.

For a moment it’s silent.

“Well?” Jamie prods, looking between them. He’s trying to judge how far he can push and Alex appreciates that. He also wants to kill him. He looks at Michael who returns the look, “is this—“ he motions between them.

“Yes,” Alex says.

“I knew it!” He says triumphantly, “this is adorable on an almost nauseating level,” he says, “don’t worry about getting there safely, God and I won’t let Alex die before he gets to the beach with you.”

“I appreciate that,” Michael says relaxing.

“Yeah let me finish things here. Why don’t you two take your seats.”

“Thanks again,” Alex says.

“Yeah, thanks,” Michael says and they all shake hands.

Sitting in their seats, Michael inspects the safety pamphlet as he flips through emails just to see if he needs to answer anything. Most of the nervousness is gone from him. But his eyes keep drifting over. Finally Alex looks over, catching him in the act and raises an eyebrow at him. Michael fiddles with the safety card for a moment and then presses his lips together.

“What’d he do over there?” He asks, “can you tell me?”

Alex nods. Michael knows to ask about his military service, even though as he pointed out once Alex knows he’s an alien and there literally is nothing more classified.

“He flew medivac choppers,” he says. Understanding flares in Michael’s eyes, “I thought I was dying,” Alex begins, “we said we weren’t going to judge—“

Michael cuts him off with an almost desperate press of their lips together. It catches Alex off guard. Neither of them are that much into PDA. But Michael’s hands flatten against his cheeks and he leans into the kiss all the same. Talk of what came before is usually fraught with land mines, things they don’t want to get into and things they aren’t ready for. Even the things they are hurt. But Michael kisses him so fiercely it’s hard to think about any of that. It actually takes Alex a moment to open his eyes after and he feels dazed.

“What—“ He begins.

“I wanted to go away with you too,” Michael tells him, drawing circles on his cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Alex reaches up and takes his hand, kissing his knuckles.

“Now we are,” He promises.

It’s the first of many, many trips.


End file.
